Drying reel



Oct. 10, 1939. L E LOVETT 2,175,205

DRYING REEL Filed Oct. 4, 1957 5 c: C B B' A 3l l 29 30) 53 T *---f i OQ26@ o o, Z4 L .ga, aox 29L if* '7; L j Snuentor '29 26 LOUIS E. LOVETTO d D o I FIG. 6 @ZMmmcg Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE DBYING REEL Application ctober 4, 1937, Serial No. 167,086

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a thread-storage, thread-advancing devicepermitting changes in thread length to occur freely.

In the processing of some threads, particularly artificial silk threads,marked changes tend to occur in their lengths. If the thread is to be ofhigh standard, it is usually necessary that little, if any, resistancebe oered to changes in length. In processes utilizing thread-storage,threadl advancing devices, diiliculty is experienced, be-

cause of the virtual impossibility of maintaining strictly uniformprocessing conditions, in providing a device of this character that willfreely accommodate changes in the length of the thread.

i As a material which presents this problem and which may beadvantageously handled by the device of the present invention, viscoseartificial silk thread may be mentioned by way of example.

In the course of the drying of viscose artificial go silk thread,considerable shrinkage occurs the rate of which depends upon the rate ofremoval of moisture from the thread. In actual practice it has beenfound impossible to maintain absolutely uniform drying conditions, withthe 25 result that the thread being dried may shrink at varying rates.By providing a thread-storage, thread-advancing device embodying theprinciples of the present invention, these varying rates of shrinkagewill be accommodated and the 30 thread allowed to shrink withoutsubstantial restraint.

While for purposes of illustration the invention is here disclosed asemployed in the drying of viscose articial silk thread, the invention 35may be practiced not only in connection with the drying operation butwith any other treatment in which it is desired to employ it. The threadmay be either of natural or artificial origin; if the latter, it may bemanufactured from casein,

o from cuprammonium cellulose solution, from cellulose acetate or thelike. Moreover, the invention may be employed in connection with anythread-like material, such as filaments, tubes, tapes, bands Vandribbons, all of which are in- 45 tended to be comprehended by the term"thread as herein used.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, Figure l is a vertical section through a thread-storage.thread-advancing reel embodying the invention. Figure 2 is an elevationof the front end of the reel of Figure 1. Figure-3 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of the variations in its contour necessary to enable areel to conform to different l shrinkage conditions in a thread. Figure4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale. Figure5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a plan correspondingto Figure 4. Figure 7 is a section corresponding to that of Figure 5,showing an exaggeration of the deformation occurring under the action ofthread.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the threadstorage, threadadvancingreel there illustrated comprises two sets of interdigitating bar membersIII- and II. The bar members IIJ are carried upon the periphery andextend longitudinally of a cylindrical body I2 which is concentricallyfixed to a hollow shaft I3 rotatably mounted in a bearing Il. Toestablish driving engagement between shaft I 3 and body I2, a pin I5carried by the shaft is disposed within slots I6 in body I2. To retaincylindrical body I2 upon shaft Ir, a bolt I'I may be screw-threaded intothe forward end of the shaft. Bolt I1, in addition to retainingcylindrical body I2 upon the shaft, serves as a closure member for thefront end of the hollow shaft I3.

Bar members II are carried by an annular base member I9 at the rear endsof the bar members and an annular reinforcing member 20 at their forwardends. Annular member I9 is fixed to a ring 2| having secured within itscentral opening a bushing 22. Bushing 22 is rotatable upon a sleeve 23which is carried upon the exterior of the supporting bearing Il throughwhich shaft I3 passes. The contact which exists between the two sets ofbar members due to their interdigitating relation causes the bar membersIl to be driven from bar members I0.

The exterior of bearing I4 is eccentric with respect to the boretherethrough and due to this eccentricity the axis of rotation of thebar memy bers I I is offset laterally from the axis of rotation of thebar members IIJ. The axes of the inner and outer surfaces of sleeve 23are at an angle n with respect to each other and consequently the axisof rotation of the bar members Il likewise is askew with respect to theaxis of rotation of the bar members IB. The bar members III andsupporting body I2 make up and may be termed the concentric reel member.The bar members II and supporting members I9 and 2li and affixed ring 2|may be termed the eccentric reel member. Due to this relation existingbetween the concentric and eccentric reel members, thread carried upontheir exteriors will, upon rotation of the reel, be advancedlongitudinally thereof ln a plurality of generally helical turns.

The reel may be said to be of cantilever form inasmuch as it issupported at one end only,

bearing Il at corresponding ends of both reel members providing the solesupport for the reel. The end of the reel opposite bearing ILbeingindependent of any support, is freely accessible to an operator. Thereel should be rotated in such a direction that the thread will beadvanced thereover from the supported to the unsupported end, in whichcase the thread may easily be removed from the unsupported end due tothe absence of obstructions. Since the bar members of the two sets IIIand II lie in interdlgitating relation and the axis of the one set lieswithin the periphery of the other set. the reel as a whole may be saidto be unitary.

To dry the thread being advanced along the reel a. heating medium suchas hot air from any suitable source may be supplied through hollow shaftI3 to the interior of the reel. A chamber 24, formed centrally of thebody I2, receives the heated air from shaft I3 through openings 25 inthe shaft and distributes it through radially extending ports 2B to theperiphery of the reel. Bar members I I are heated to approximately thesame temperature as bar members I2. The thread is dried not only bycontact with the exterior of the heated reel, but by the heated airissuing from ports 26.

The thread to be dried on the reel may be supplied from any source. Forexample, the thread may come from a package into which it was collectedwhile wet. Such a package may be that formed on the usual collectingspool or in the ordinary centrifugal spinning pot. However, the wetthread may, if desired, come from apparatus which is continuouslyprocessing the thread, in which event the drying reel here shown mayfollow the liquid processing stages of the apparatus. After being dried,the thread may be collected by any suitable winding device or it may betwisted and then collected.

For the reasons and in the respects hereinafter explained, the reel ofthe invention is formed to allow substantially free shrinkage of thethread being dried thereon.

At the completion of the liquid processing steps, viscose artificialsilk thread contains as much as 300% moisture by weight. Approximatelyhalf of this moisture is upon the exterior of the thread and must beremoved before the remaining half of the moisture, which apparently isinternal moisture, may be removed. The external moisture may be removedrapidly and during its removal the thread probably will undergo lessthan one-half of one percent shrinkage. Removal of the internalmoisture, however, requires a relatively long length of time, since thismoisture must be removed largely by diffusion.

In the course of the removal of the internal moisture, the thread, ifallowed to shrink without restraint, may shrink as much as 6% of theinitial length of the thread. For various reasons, it is desirable thatsubstantially free shrinkage be permitted to take place during removalof the internal moisture. Thread so dried commands a higher price,having a wide acceptance in the weaving and knitting industries. Itgives rise to no diiculties arising out of excessive shrinkage on thetentering frames. It dyes uniformly, color variations from unit to unitalong the thread being minimized.

It is desirable, however, that complete shrinkage of the thread beprevented by arresting shrinkage of the thread when nearly completeshrinkage has occurred. By preventing complete shrinkage of the thread,it retains a slight residual capacity to shrink. In accordance with theinvention, substantially unrestrained shrinkage of the thread ispermitted during removal of nearly all of its internal moisture, but isarrested before complete shrinkage has occurred.

In the drying of thread upon a reel, moisture may be removed fromdifferent portions of the thread at different rates due to variationsoccurring from time to time in the temperature of the same portion ofthe reel. Also, the rates of removal of external and internal moisturemay vary either together or independently of each other; i. e., theinternal.and external moisture may be slowly removed, rapidly removed,or removed more rapidly in the case of one than in the case of theother. These different drying conditions require different formations ofthe thread-bearing surface of the reel if the thread is to be allowed toshrink without substantial restraint.

Figure 3 illustrates the different formations which a bar member shouldhave along its length if it is to conform to variations imposed by thedrying operation.

'Ihread delivered to the reel may make contact with the bar member at apoint A adjacent the supported end of the reel. In advancing toward theunsupported end of the reel, the thread will, if external moisture isremoved at the lowest rate to be expected, reach the point B on the barmember by the time all external moisture has been removed. The portionA-B over which the thread passes may be parallel with the axis aboutwhich the bar members turn, since the shrinkage which the threadundergoes in passing over this portion 1s only very slight. In travel ofthe thread beyond point B, internal moisture being assumed to be removedfrom the thread at the lowest rate to be expected, by the time thethread reaches the point C only the desired residual capacity to shrinkremains in the thread. As shown, portion B-C is tapered to permitsubstantially unrestrained shrinkage of the thread to take place. Frompoint C the thread is advanced without provision for shrinkage to apoint D on the bar member from which point the thread is led off.

If, on the other hand, external moisture of the thread is removed at themost rapid rate to be expected, this may be fully accomplished by thetime the thread has reached a corresponding point B', from which pointthe bar member should have a tapered configuration. If, starting at thepoint B', the internal moisture also is removed at the most rapid rateto be expected and if shrinkage of the thread is to be permitted untilonly the desired residual capacity to shrink remains in the thread, thepoint C' will have been reached somewhat sooner than point C in theexample given in the preceding paragraph. The portion C'-C must in suchcase be a continuation of the portion C-D; i. e., having anapproximately cylindrical surface. The net eilect, therefore, of dryingunder the conditions stated is to require a change in the location ofthe tapered portion B-C, so that it assumes the dotted line positionB'-C'.

In either case, the diameter of the portion C-D or C'D preferably bearssuch relation to the diameter of portion A-B or A-B that the desiredresidual capacity to shrink is left in the thread. i

The portion of the bar member upon which external moisture is removedfrom the thread may be of relatively short extent inasmuch as the extheymay yield to the conformation of line,

ternai moisture may be rapidly removed from the thread. The portion ofthe bar member upon which internal moisture is removed from the threadwill necessarily be of relatively long extent since considerably moretime is required for removal of this moisture. 'I'he terminal portion ofthe bar member upon which the thread is set with the desired residualcapacity to shrink may likewise be of relatively long extent to assurecomplete dryness or equilibrium moisture conditions in the thread.

If, therefore, both the external moisture and the internal moisture areremoved slowly, the bar members of a reel which will correspond to thisdrying condition should have a contour corresponding to the solid lineA--B-C-D appearing in Figure 3. If the external and internal moistureare both rapidly removed, bar members determined by the line A--B'C'-Dwill be required. Variations in the relative rates of removal ofexternal and internal moisture will call for a formation of the barmembers falling between the limits of the solid line and the dotted linebetween points B and C. In accordance with the present invention meansare provided to permit alterations to occur in the contour of the barmember in response to variations in the rate of removal of both theexternal moisture and the internal moisture.

To accomplish this object the exterior of each bar member is providedwith a longitudinally extending strip 28 secured to the bar members byscrews 29. Projecting substantially vertically from this strip is a pairof parallel ribs 36-30. In order better to support the thread it isdesirable that the pair of ribs shown be provided although a single ribupon each strip 28 may be found to be sulllcient. The strip 28 and theribs 30 should preferably be made of one piece and should be of someresilient material, as rubber. Best results are obtained if both sets ofbar members are provided with such supporting means, although if desiredonly one of the sets of bar members need be provided with resilientribs. as is shown.

In order that the reel may support thread from which both the externalmoisture and the internal moisture are being removed at a low rate, thecontour of ribs 30 on bar members I0 corresponds closely to the solidline appearing in Figure 3. This will be the maximum required of thereel under the slowest drying conditions to be expected. The initialportion 3| of the reel is preferably cylindrical, since it is determinedby the portion A-B' in Figure 3. The terminal portion 33 of the reel islikewise preferably cylindrical, since it corresponds to the portionC'-D appearing in Figure 3. The central portion 32 of the reel is ofirusto-conical formation, corresponding l to portion B'-C in Figure 3.

During actual drying of thread upon the reel, the ribs 30 remain intheir normal upright position so long as both the internal moisture andthe external moisture are removed slowly. However, if the externalmoisture is removed rapidly or if the internal moisture is removedrapidly, the resulting rapid shrinkage of the thread causes the ribs 30to bend. Due to the ease with which ribs 30 bend sideways, very slightresistance is offered to shrinkage of the thread. This lateraldeformation of ribs 30 under the influence of the thread is shown in anexaggerated condition in Figure '7.

Thus, while the bar members normally have the conformation of lineA-B-C-D in Figure 3,

A--B'-C'D in Figure 3 to allow for thread shrinkage resulting from rapiddrying. For any intermediate rate of removal of the external or internalmoistures, the ribs 30 will yield to a formation between thektwo limitsB-C and BC. As a result, regardless of whether the total thread moistureis slowly or rapidly removed, substantially unrestrained shrinkage ofthe thread is permitted. A very wide variation in drying conditions maythus be permitted without affecting the uniformity of the thread beingdried.

In passing over the terminal portion 33 of the reel it is desirable thatthe thread be set with the residual capacity to shrink which it isintended that it shall have. In order to obtain this result, theportions of ribs 30 forming portion 33 of the reel surface should berelatively firm. If the ribs are made of rubber, this firmness may beobtained by stiffening the portions of ribs 30 from the free end of thereel inwardly to point C. Inserts may be utilized to make portion 33more firm than portion 32.

Thus, although the central portions` of the lengths of ribs 30 maydeflect laterally to varying extents due to different rates of drying ofthe thread, the total shrinkage permitted at all points throughout thelength of the thread will be limited to the same amount due to therelatively firm terminal end portions of ribs 30. As a consequence, theresidual capacity to shrink remaining in the thread upon reachingportion 33 of the reel will be uniform throughout the threadirrespective of whether the internal and external moistures have beenslowly or rapidly removed. Passage over portion 33 of the reel will setthis residual capacity to shrink in the thread and either allow thethread to fully dry or come to equilibrium moisture conditions.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, at least one of saidmembers having on its periphery a plurality of threadbearing elementsdeformable laterally thereof to provide thread-bearing surfacesyieldable substantially radially of said rotatable member.

2. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, at least one of saidmembers having extending longitudinally of its periphery a plurality ofthread-bearing elements deformable laterally thereof to providethread-bearing surfaces yieldable substantially radially of saidrotatable member.

3. Apparatus of the character described in claim 2 in which the terminalportion of said elements is of reduced deformability at at least one endof said rotatable member.

4. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of gen-f erally helical turns, at least one ofsaid members having on its periphery a plurality of longitudinallyextending thread-bearing elements which are deformable laterally thereofto permit changes in the lengths of the turns of thread or the like.

5. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, at least one of saidmembers having projecting generally perpendicularly from its periphery aplurality of longitudinally extending strip-like thread-bearing elementswhich are deformable laterally thereof to provide threadbearing surfacesyieldable substantially radially of said rotatable member.

6. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns at least one of saidmembers having projecting generally radially from` its periphery aplurality of longitudinally extending strip-like thread-bearing elementswhich are deformable laterally thereof to permit changes in the lengthsof the turns of thread or the like.

7. A thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable,alternately disposed sets of bar members, each substantially circular incross section and, associated therewith, means for causing said sets ofbar members to cooperate during rotation of said sets to advance threador the like lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helicalturns, the bar members of at least one oi' said sets having extendinglengthwise thread-bearing surfaces deformable substantially thereofstrip-like thread-bearing elements which are deformable laterallythereof to provide radially of the reel.

LOUIS E. LOVE'II.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,17 5,205.

October lO, 1959.

LOUIS E. LOVETT. It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows:

Page li, second column, .line 17, claim?, strike out the words"thread-bearing surfaces deformable substantially" and insert the sameafter "provide" in line 19, same claim; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this cor'.- rection therein that the same may'conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this llith day of November, A. D. 1959.

(Seall Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

having on its periphery a plurality of longitudinally extendingthread-bearing elements which are deformable laterally thereof to permitchanges in the lengths of the turns of thread or the like.

5. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, at least one of saidmembers having projecting generally perpendicularly from its periphery aplurality of longitudinally extending strip-like thread-bearing elementswhich are deformable laterally thereof to provide threadbearing surfacesyieldable substantially radially of said rotatable member.

6. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising two rotatablemembers each substantially circular in cross section which, duringrotation thereof, cooperate to advance thread or the like lengthwisethereof in a plurality of generally helical turns at least one of saidmembers having projecting generally radially from` its periphery aplurality of longitudinally extending strip-like thread-bearing elementswhich are deformable laterally thereof to permit changes in the lengthsof the turns of thread or the like.

7. A thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable,alternately disposed sets of bar members, each substantially circular incross section and, associated therewith, means for causing said sets ofbar members to cooperate during rotation of said sets to advance threador the like lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helicalturns, the bar members of at least one oi' said sets having extendinglengthwise thread-bearing surfaces deformable substantially thereofstrip-like thread-bearing elements which are deformable laterallythereof to provide radially of the reel.

LOUIS E. LOVE'II.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,17 5,205.

October lO, 1959.

LOUIS E. LOVETT. It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows:

Page li, second column, .line 17, claim?, strike out the words"thread-bearing surfaces deformable substantially" and insert the sameafter "provide" in line 19, same claim; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this cor'.- rection therein that the same may'conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this llith day of November, A. D. 1959.

(Seall Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

